Victor Osimhen has been nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or.
The striker who plies his trade in Italy with Napoli made the 30-man list -announced earlier today- of the back of an impressive 2022/2023 season where he scored 31 goals and made 5 assists across all competitions including 26 goals in the Serie A which made him top scorer in the league.
He was nominated alongside fellow teammate and last season’s Serie A MVP Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and former Napoli defender Kim Min-jae who has now moved to Bayern Munchen.
The former LOSC Lille striker is the first Nigerian since Nwankwo Kanu in 1999 to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or awards.
Ballon d’Or nominees
Victor Osimhen (Napoli, Nigeria)
Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City, Croatia)
Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, Germany)
Andre Onana (Manchester United, Cameroon)
Karim Benzema (Al-Ittihad, France)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, England)
Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)
Randal Kolo Muani (Paris St-Germain, France)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Portugal)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli, Georgia)
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan, Italy)
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina)
Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal)
Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)
Martin Odegaard (Arsenal, Norway)
Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona, Germany)
Yassine Bounou (Sevilla, Morocco)
Julian Alvarez (Manchester City, Argentina)
Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid, Brazil)
Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid, France)
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Argentina)
Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona, Poland)
Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich, South Korea)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain, France)
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)
